SCHMIDT, Richard

SCHMIDT, Richard. Aschersleben 29.1.1866 — Münster/Westfalen 15.11.1939. German Indologist. Professor in Münster. Son of a teacher. After school in Eisleben studied in 1886-90 at Halle (Pischel, Geldner). Ph.D. 1890 Halle. Eight years in Eisleben, probably as teacher. PD 1898 Halle, in 1904-10 also Librarian of D.M.G. In 1910 moved to Münster, from 1912 ao. and 1919 ord. Professor there. Joined NSDAP in 1933.

RS was a taciturn and retiring scholar, who never had many students (Schöhl). At Halle he taught classical Sanskrit, but also Vedic, Pāli and even Marathi. Although his literary work is important, especially on Kathā and Kāmaśāstra, nobody seems to have deemed him worthy of an obituary.